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A home's front door must have a secure lock to make it difficult for burglars to break in. A standard lock set includes a front door knob lock and a deadbolt mounted a few inches above the door knob. Both the door knob lock and the deadbolt have strike plates that need to be secured not only to the door jamb but also to the jack studs in the wall to make it much harder for someone to kick in the door.

Removing an Old Lock Set

1

Remove the previous deadbolt by loosening the mounting screws from inside the door using a screwdriver. Pull out both halves of the deadbolt housing and set aside. Then remove the deadbolt latch assembly from the edge of the door by removing the two screws holding the assembly to the edge of the door, then slip the latch assembly out of the edge of the door.

2

Repeat the previous step in removing the door knobs and latch assembly. Set the door knobs and latch aside.

3

Remove the deadbolt strike and door knob strike plates from the door jamb by loosening the screws and pulling the strike plates out of the mortises. Set the plates and screws aside.

Cutting Bores in a New Door

1

If you are installing a lock set in a new door, begin by measuring 36-inches up from the bottom of the door with a tape measure, and placing a mark on the edge of the door using a pencil. Make a second mark at 44-inches above the bottom of the door. Extend each of these two marks around the edges of the door using a combination square as a reference.

2

Align the template that accompanied the door knob lock set against the edge of the door along the pencil line, and make a mark denoting the drill locations for the face bores and edge bores of the door lock and deadbolt. Remove the template.

3

Install the hole saw from a door installation kit into a power drill, and drill the face bores for both the door knob lock and the deadbolt in the face of the door at the marked locations. Then replace the hole saw in the drill with the spade bit, and drill the edge bores for the latch and the bolt.

Installing the New Lock Set

1

Place the door latch assembly into the lower face bore. If the door is not mortised for the latch plate, scribe the perimeter of the latch plate onto the edge of the door with a pencil, then cut out a shallow, even mortise in the edge of the door to accommodate the latch plate using a sharp chisel.

2

Mark the mounting hole locations into the mortise, and drill pilot holes using the 3/32-inch drill bit that came in the door installation kit. Then mount the latch plate into the mortise, and attach it to the door with two mounting screws from the door kit.

3

Repeat the previous two steps for the bolt assembly of the deadbolt.

4

Insert the spindle of the outside door knob into the hole in the latch assembly, and position the door knob against the outer face of the door. Slide the inner door knob over the spindle, and attach the two halves of the door knob together against the door using the two long screws that came with the lock set kit. Test the operation of the doorknob and the lock from both sides of the door.

5

Place the outer half of the deadbolt lock on the outside of the door, sliding the spindle through the hole in the bolt assembly. Position the inner half of the deadbolt lock onto the spindle, and connect the two halves using the mounting screws from the lock set kit. Test the operation of the deadbolt from both sides of the door.

6

Close the door and transfer the pencil lines for the center of the door knob and deadbolt onto the edge of the door jamb. Extend the lines across the doorjamb to the doorstop, then mark the midpoint of both lines.

7

Insert the spade bit from the door installation kit into the drill. Drill holes 5/8-inch deep though each of these midpoints. Square up the edges of the holes using a wood chisel and a hammer. Then center the strike plates for both the door lock and the deadbolt over their requisite holes and mark the outlines for mortises for each plate. Chisel out a shallow mortise for each plate before drilling pilot holes for the screws.

8

Position the strike plate for the deadbolt into the deadbolt mortise, and attach it to the doorjamb and jack stud with 3-inch wood screws. Repeat the process with the strike plate for the door lock.

9

Open and close the door, and test the operation of both the door lock latch and the deadbolt.

Things You Will Need

Screwdriver

Front door knob lock set with deadbolt

Pencil

Tape measure

Combination square

Door installation kit

Power drill with screw bit

Wood chisel

Hammer

3-inch wood screws

Tip

By using 3-inch wood screws through the two strike plates, you are connecting the plates to the jack stud in the framing of the house, which will make it far more difficult for someone to kick in or manipulate the door open than using the short mounting screws that accompanied the lock set.

Warning

When using a power drill, wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying wood chips or other debris.

About the Author

Chris Baylor has been writing about various topics, focusing primarily on woodworking, since 2006. You can see his work in publications such as "Consumer's Digest," where he wrote the 2009 Best Buys for Power Tools and the 2013 Best Buys for Pressure Washers.